- BGG rank
- BGG #31,448
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Connect Four
- 2 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,891
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Balance of Power
1979
Rules assistance for Balance of Power
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Balance of Power
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Balance of Power is a board game released in 1979 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ned Strongin and Oded Berman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Point to Point Movement.
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About the game
Balance of Power is a two-player abstract strategy game of movement, momentum, and mechanical tension. Players race their discs across nine parallel seesaws, attempting to tip five of them in their favor by manipulating the balance of weight on each arm. Each seesaw (or "scale") consists of six positions—three on each player's side of the central pivot. A piece’s influence is determined by its distance from the fulcrum: pieces farther from the center exert more force, while closer pieces provide subtle counterbalance. A single piece on the outermost position can outweigh two or more opponent pieces placed nearer the middle. On your turn, you roll a die and choose one of your nine discs to either enter the board or advance along the connected path of seesaws. Movement follows a looping circuit across all nine beams, and your piece must move exactly the number of spaces shown on the die. The placement and timing of each move is key, as tilting one seesaw may destabilize another. Victory is achieved when you’ve tilted five out of nine beams to your side. Despite its dice element, the game favors tactical foresight over luck. Players must constantly assess not only where to add weight, but how each move will ripple across the interconnected system. The game’s clever seesaw mechanism and elegant simplicity make it accessible to children, yet subtly strategic for seasoned gamers. Similar to: Leverage – A close cousin with deeper positional tactics and a shared emphasis on tipping seesaws through strategic piece placement. Tilt'n Tumble – A faster, more chaotic game of physical balance where pieces are added to a tilting contraption. Emphasizes suspense and brinksmanship. Rock Me Archimedes – Two-player balance duel using a physical pivoting board. Simpler in rules, but shares the core mechanic of managing weight and distance.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Miro Company
- Clipper
- Parker Spiele
- Borras Plana S.A.
- Palitoy Ltd.
- Hasbro Industries (Hasbro Bradley)
Questions and answers
Balance of Power supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Balance of Power is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Balance of Power for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Balance of Power has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Balance of Power belongs to these categories: Dice, Abstract Strategy, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Point to Point Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Balance of Power are: Ned Strongin and Oded Berman. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Balance of Power as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.